June 2026 - Lady Tan's Circle of Women
At our May 18th book club meeting, we discussed Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley. The group enjoyed this book and felt that it was "less preachy" than Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books (April 2026). Overall, even though some of the same issues were covered, the group liked Pooley's writing better and felt the characters were more relatable. Overall, the book rated very highly.
Our June book is Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See. The meeting is Monday, June 29 at 3pm in the LME Library's large meeting room. The book discussion guide is available online.
Summary: "Sent into an arranged marriage, Tan Yunxian, forbidden to continue her work as a midwife-in-training as well as see her forever friend Meiling, is ordered to act like proper wife and seeks a way to continue treating women and girls from every level of society in fifteenth-century China."
Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting - May 18
I almost forgot to post the wrap-up for Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller, so better late than never! We had seven members at our April 27th book group, and most of the group thought the book was funny and topical. The biggest issue for some was that it covered so many issues that it diminished the impact. Also, there were a lot of characters and members had a hard time keeping them straight! Overall though, the book received high ratings.
Our next book club meeting is a week early due to the Memorial Day holiday. The meeting is Monday, May 18th at 3pm at the LME Library. We will be discussing Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley. Books can be picked up at the library desk and the discussion is also available for pickup or here.
Summary: "Nobody ever talks to strangers on the train. It's a rule. But what would happen if they did? From the New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project, a heartwarming novel about unexpected friendships and the joy of connecting. Every day Iona, a larger-than-life magazine advice columnist, travels the ten stops from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station by train, accompanied by her dog, Lulu. Every day she sees the same people, whom she knows only by nickname: Impossibly-Pretty-Bookworm and Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Of course, they never speak. Seasoned commuters never do. Then one morning, the man she calls Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape right in front of her. He'd have died were it not for the timely intervention of Sanjay, a nurse, who gives him the Heimlich maneuver. This single event starts a chain reaction, and an eclectic group of people with almost nothing in common except their commute discover that a chance encounter can blossom into much more. It turns out that talking to strangers can teach you about the world around you--and even more about yourself."
April 27 - Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books
At our March 30th meeting, we discussed The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon. We chose this book as part of our America 250 celebration, and we had a couple of new club members--welcome! Most thought that this was an interesting book, but it could use a better table of contents and an index. The group liked the author's storytelling and commentary. Overall, it was inspiring to see how people have made a difference even through adversity.
Our next book group meeting will be April 27 at 3pm at the LME Library and we will be discussing Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books. Copies are available for pickup at the library desk and discussion sheets are also available for pickup or online.
Summary of Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books: Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books-- none of which she's actually read. To replace the "pornographic" books she's challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she's sure the town's readers need. What Lula doesn't know is that a local troublemaker has stolen her wholesome books, removed their dust jackets, and restocked Lula's library with banned books: literary classics, gay romances, Black history, witchy spell books, Judy Blume novels, and more. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean's library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean's enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town's disgraced mayor. That's when all the townspeople who've been borrowing from Lula's library begin to reveal themselves. That's when the showdown that's been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.
LME Library Invites Readers to “Meet the Neighbors” During Global Digital Book Club
Ebook and audiobook available for free on Libby with no waitlists or holds at https://bit.ly/LMEadml.*
LME Library invites readers to join Libby Reads, the global digital book club from Libby, the library reading app. From March 26–April 9, library card holders can enjoy “Meet the Neighbors,” a heartfelt and unique look at the inner life of animals, by Brandon Keim as an ebook or audiobook for free with no waitlists or holds through Libby.
In this wide-ranging, wonder-filled exploration of animals' inner lives, Keim takes us into courtrooms and wildlife hospitals, under backyard decks and into deserts, to meet anew the wild creatures who populate our communities and the philosophers, rogue pest controllers, ecologists, wildlife doctors, and others who are reimagining our relationships to them.
Libby Reads is available through more than 22,000 libraries worldwide. Formerly known as Big Library Read, Libby Reads continues the same beloved program that has connected millions of readers worldwide for more than a decade.
Readers can access “Meet the Neighbors” on all major devices through Libby or https://bit.ly/LMEadml, including iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets. U.S. readers can also utilize the “send to Kindle®” feature to read the title on their Kindle ereader. The title will automatically expire at the end of the lending period, with no late fees.
*Available FREE to all LME Library patrons with cards in good standing.
#LibbyReads #BrandonKeim #MeetTheNeighbors #Nonfiction #Wildlife #LibbyApp #GlobalDigitalBookClub #BookClub
March 30 - The Small and the Mighty
At our February 23, 2026 meeting, we discussed James by Percival Everett. The group liked reading the classic from James' perspective, but it was outside what they regularly read. Group members were interested in what it might be like to read the story from a female perspective. Overall, they rated it highly, but some members probably won't suggest it to others because it is more literary than what they usually read.
Book Summary: "From America's favorite government teacher, a heartfelt, inspiring portrait of twelve ordinary Americans whose courage formed the character of our country. In The Small and the Mighty, Sharon McMahon proves that the most remarkable Americans are often ordinary people who didn't make it into the textbooks. Not the presidents, but the telephone operators. Not the aristocrats, but the schoolteachers. Through meticulous research, she discovers history's unsung characters and brings their rich, riveting stories to light for the first time. This is a book about what really made America - and Americans - great. McMahon's cast of improbable champions will become familiar friends, lighting the path we journey in our quest to make the world more just, peaceful, good, and free."
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